Finger-Mountable Eating Utensils and Related Methods

ABSTRACT

Disclosed are exemplary embodiments of finger-mountable eating utensils and related methods. In an exemplary embodiment, an eating utensil generally includes a handle for supporting a utensil piece. The handle has a distal stem portion and a widened portion proximal to and substantially coaxial with the distal stem portion. The widened portion has an opening configured to receive two or more user fingers to support the handle and utensil piece without the received fingers having to contact the distal stem portion during use of the eating utensil.

FIELD

The present disclosure generally relates to finger-mountable eatingutensils and related methods.

BACKGROUND

This section provides background information related to the presentdisclosure which is not necessarily prior art.

It can sometimes be difficult and/or painful for an arthritis suffererto use a fork, spoon or other eating utensil having a slender handlethat the user must grasp with bent fingers.

SUMMARY

This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not acomprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features.

According to various aspects, exemplary embodiments are disclosed offinger-mountable eating utensils and related methods. In an exemplaryembodiment, an eating utensil generally includes a handle for supportinga utensil piece. The handle has a distal stem portion and a widenedportion proximal to and substantially coaxial with the distal stemportion. The widened portion has an opening configured to receive two ormore user fingers to support the handle and utensil piece without thereceived fingers having to contact the distal stem portion during use ofthe eating utensil.

In another example embodiment, an eating utensil generally includes autensil piece and a handle. The handle has a distal stem portionconnected or connectible with the utensil piece, and a widened portionsubstantially coaxial with a distal stem portion. The widened portionhas an interior sidewall defining an opening in the handle configured toreceive two or more user fingers to control the utensil piece withoutthe received fingers being required to contact the distal stem portion.

Also disclosed are methods that generally include a method of using aneating utensil. The method includes inserting two or more fingersthrough an opening defined by a sidewall in a widened portion of ahandle of an eating utensil, the widened portion being substantiallycoaxial with a distal stem portion of the handle. The inserting isperformed without having to bend the fingers. The inserted fingers arepositioned against the sidewall. A utensil piece of the eating utensilis controlled without the inserted fingers having to touch the distalstem portion of the handle.

Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the descriptionprovided herein. The description and specific examples in this summaryare intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended tolimit the scope of the present disclosure.

DRAWINGS

The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only ofselected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are notintended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of an eating utensil in accordance withone example embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 2A is a top perspective view of a handle of an eating utensil inaccordance with one example embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 2B is a side perspective view of a handle in accordance with oneexample embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 2C is a partial top perspective view of a handle in accordance withone example embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of a utensil piece including a fork inaccordance with one example embodiment of the disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of a utensil piece including a spoon inaccordance with one example embodiment of the disclosure; and

FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of an eating utensil in accordance withone example embodiment of the disclosure.

Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference tothe accompanying drawings.

The inventor hereof has recognized that people who suffer fromconditions such as arthritis often have difficulty grasping andcontrolling a fork or other utensil. Accordingly, the inventor hasdeveloped and discloses herein exemplary embodiments of finger-mountableeating utensils that provide (without limitation) spoons, forks, knives,sporks, etc., that a user can control using two or more fingers insertedthrough an opening in a handle of the eating utensil. The useroptionally may direct his or her fingers away from the handle as theuser eats with or otherwise uses the utensil. In various embodiments,the fingers inserted in the opening are not required to be bent toward,extended along, or in contact with a stem portion of the handle of theeating utensil.

In some embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure, afinger-mountable eating utensil may be provided in which a utensil pieceis integral with a handle. In other various embodiments, afinger-mountable eating utensil includes a handle and a utensil piececonnected or connectable with the handle. In some embodiments, a givenutensil piece may be interchangeable with another type of utensil piece.A user, for example, may connect a handle with a first utensil piecethat includes a spoon. The user subsequently may separate the handlefrom the first utensil piece, and may then connect the handle with asecond utensil piece that includes a fork.

With reference now to the figures, FIGS. 1 through 3 illustrate anexemplary embodiment of a finger-mountable eating utensil embodying oneor more aspects of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 1, an eatingutensil 20 includes a utensil piece 24 that includes, e.g., a fork 28. Ahandle 32 is reversibly connected with the utensil piece 24. Generally,the terms “proximal” and “distal” may be used in the present disclosureand the claims to establish relative location with reference to an endof an eating utensil that would be most distal from a user's fingers onwhich the eating utensil is mounted. Thus, e.g., the eating utensil 20has a proximal end 36 and a distal end 40. As a further example, theutensil piece 24, when connected with the handle 32, may be referred toas being distal to the handle 32 and the handle 32 may be referred to asbeing proximal to the utensil piece 24.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the handle 32 has a proximal stem portion 44,a distal stem portion 48, and a widened portion 52 proximal to andsubstantially coaxial with the distal stem portion 48. In the presentexample embodiment, the proximal stem portion 44 is shorter than thedistal stem portion 48 and is substantially coaxial with the rest of thehandle 32. Embodiments are possible, however, in which proximal and/ordistal stem portions may have different sizes, lengths, curvatures,orientations, etc. Embodiments also are possible in which no proximalstem portion is provided.

FIGS. 2A through 2C illustrate the handle 32 with no utensil pieceattached. As shown in FIG. 2A, the widened portion 52 has an opening 56defined by an interior sidewall 60 of the widened portion 52. In thepresent example embodiment, the sidewall 60 has six flat surfaces 64defining a hexagonal shape of the opening 56. In other embodiments,other opening shapes are possible, including but not limited torectangles, other polygons, circles, ovals, squares, shapes that haveboth straight and curved segments, etc. In some embodiments and asfurther discussed below, one or more flat surfaces of an interiorsidewall may serve to facilitate a frictional fit between a user'sfingers and the sidewall.

As shown in FIG. 2B, the example handle 32 has a substantially levelupper surface 68 and a substantially level lower surface 72. In thepresent example embodiment, the interior sidewall surfaces 64 aresubstantially perpendicular to the upper and lower surfaces 68 and 72 ofthe handle 32. Handle embodiments are contemplated, however, in whichone or more surfaces, including but not limited to one or more upper,lower, and/or sidewall surfaces, have at least some curvature and/ornon-orthogonality in relation to other handle surfaces.

As shown in FIG. 2C, the handle 32 includes an attachment device 76,e.g., a slot 80. The utensil piece 24 is shown in FIG. 3 with no handleattached. In the present example embodiment, the utensil piece 24includes an attachment device 84 configured for connection with theattachment device 76 of the handle, e.g., a blade 88 configured to fitsecurely into the slot 80. It should be noted that in variousembodiments, various attachment devices could be used, including but notlimited to pins, screws, sleeves, magnets, etc. In the present exampleembodiment, the handle 32 may be disconnected from the utensil piece 24and connected with another utensil piece. For example, FIG. 4illustrates a utensil piece 100 including a spoon 104. The utensil piece100 includes a blade 108 configured to fit securely into the handle slot80 and may be connected with the handle 32 to provide a finger-mountableeating utensil 200 as shown in FIG. 5.

In various embodiments, a utensil piece and handle may be configured sothat when connected together, the utensil piece is oriented at apredetermined rotational angle relative to the handle, e.g., to make itconvenient for a user to eat with the eating utensil. For example, asshown in FIG. 1, the upper surface 68 of the widened portion 52 of thehandle 32 is shown as generally parallel with the page while an uppersurface 92 of the fork 28 is shown as tilted toward the top of the page.Various rotational angles and various ways of rotational offsettingcould be provided in various embodiments. Rotational offsetting can beprovided, e.g., in one rotational direction to accommodate aright-handed person, and in the opposite rotational direction toaccommodate a left-handed person. The example eating utensil 20 isconfigured for use by a right-handed person. Accordingly, the uppersurface 92 of the fork 28 is oriented at an angle of about 45 degreestoward the top of the page. In such manner, a finger-mountable eatingutensil may be configured to accommodate anticipated movement, e.g., ofa user's fingers, wrist, forearm, elbow, shoulder, etc. as the userpicks up food, e.g., with the fork 28, carries the food and fork 28 intothe mouth at a convenient angle, and/or lowers the fork 28 from themouth. As shown in FIG. 5, the spoon 104 also is rotationally offsetfrom the handle 32, e.g., by about 45 degrees, in the same or similarmanner as shown in FIG. 1.

Various configurations could be provided dependent, e.g., on a user'sage, size, physical capability, a utensil piece's shape, size,anticipated use, etc. Such accommodations are not necessarily limited torotational angle offsetting, but could also include, e.g., varyingcurvature, length, etc. in a handle and/or utensil piece. In someembodiments, a handle may be adjustably connectible with a utensilpiece. For example, a utensil piece could be rotatable in a sleeve of ahandle, e.g., so that a spring-based pin of the utensil piece might beinserted into a selected one of a plurality of slots in the sleeve toprovide a desired angle between the handle and utensil piece.

A user may perform the following steps to mount an eating utensil, e.g.,the finger-mountable eating utensil 20, on his/her fingers for use ineating. The user may place the eating utensil 20 on a support surface,e.g., a table top, and slide the eating utensil 20 towards an edge ofthe support surface, e.g., to a position in which the opening 56 of thewidened portion 52 of the handle 32 overhangs and is not obstructed bythe support surface. The user may then insert two or more fingers of onehand into and through the opening 56. The inserted fingers may beextended as far as possible through the opening 56 or only partially,depending, e.g., on finger thickness and/or how many, and/or which,fingers the user chooses to insert into the opening 56.

The user may optionally use one or more additional fingers of the samehand to further stabilize the eating utensil 20, e.g., by resting theadditional finger(s) on the distal stem portion 48 and/or proximal stemportion 44 alongside the widened portion 52. For example, in someimplementations in which a user chooses to insert a middle finger, ringfinger, and little finger into the opening 56, the user may optionallyrest the index finger on the distal stem portion 48, alongside thewidened portion 52 such that the index finger optionally is extendedaway from the distal stem portion 48. Alternatively, the user may chooseto insert an index finger, middle finger, and ring finger into theopening 56. In such case the user may optionally rest the little finger,e.g., on the proximal stem portion 44, alongside and proximal to thewidened portion 52 such that the little finger optionally is extendedaway from the proximal stem portion 44. In another implementation inwhich the user chooses to insert only two fingers, e.g., a middle fingerand ring finger, into the opening 56, the user may optionally rest theindex finger on the distal stem portion 48, and the little finger on theproximal stem portion 44, with all fingers optionally extended away fromthe handle 32. In yet another example implementation, a user may inserta thumb and at least one other finger into and through the opening 56.It should be noted generally that a “finger” may include a thumb in thepresent disclosure and claims. There are various ways in which a usermight mount an eating utensil on his/her fingers, and the foregoingmethods are exemplary only.

It also should be noted that in each of the foregoing example methods ofuse, fingers that have been inserted through the opening 56 can beextended away from the opening 56, e.g., so as to be generallyperpendicular to the widened portion 52, during use of the eatingutensil 20. In various embodiments, fingers inserted into the opening 56are not required to contact the distal stem portion 48 or proximal stemportion 44. The user is not required to wrap or curl the insertedfingers around the widened portion 52, distal stem portion 48 orproximal stem portion 44. Further, the user is not required to bend orextend any fingers toward the utensil piece 24 during use of the eatingutensil 20.

The foregoing example finger-mountable utensils and methods of use canprovide arthritis sufferers with comfortable yet effective ways toprepare and/or eat food. A user does not have to bend any fingers inorder to prepare to use such eating utensils and/or to eat with them. Ahandle can be configured with a widened portion that has interiorsidewall surfaces so as to provide a frictional fit between insertedfingers and the sidewall. Such surfaces can be configured, e.g., withvarious textures, curvatures, etc. so that the eating utensil remainsfirmly in place when mounted on the user's fingers, e.g., while the useris eating.

Example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will bethorough, and will fully convey the scope to those who are skilled inthe art. Numerous specific details are set forth such as examples ofspecific components, devices, and methods, to provide a thoroughunderstanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will beapparent to those skilled in the art that specific details need not beemployed, that example embodiments may be embodied in many differentforms, and that neither should be construed to limit the scope of thedisclosure. In some example embodiments, well-known processes,well-known device structures, and well-known technologies are notdescribed in detail. In addition, advantages and improvements that maybe achieved with one or more exemplary embodiments of the presentdisclosure are provided for purpose of illustration only and do notlimit the scope of the present disclosure, as exemplary embodimentsdisclosed herein may provide all or none of the above mentionedadvantages and improvements and still fall within the scope of thepresent disclosure.

Specific dimensions, specific materials, and/or specific shapesdisclosed herein are example in nature and do not limit the scope of thepresent disclosure. The disclosure herein of particular values andparticular ranges of values for given parameters are not exclusive ofother values and ranges of values that may be useful in one or more ofthe examples disclosed herein. Moreover, it is envisioned that any twoparticular values for a specific parameter stated herein may define theendpoints of a range of values that may be suitable for the givenparameter (i.e., the disclosure of a first value and a second value fora given parameter can be interpreted as disclosing that any valuebetween the first and second values could also be employed for the givenparameter). For example, if Parameter X is exemplified herein to havevalue A and also exemplified to have value Z, it is envisioned thatparameter X may have a range of values from about A to about Z.Similarly, it is envisioned that disclosure of two or more ranges ofvalues for a parameter (whether such ranges are nested, overlapping ordistinct) subsume all possible combination of ranges for the value thatmight be claimed using endpoints of the disclosed ranges. For example,if parameter X is exemplified herein to have values in the range of1-10, or 2-9, or 3-8, it is also envisioned that Parameter X may haveother ranges of values including 1-9, 1-8, 1-3, 1-2, 2-10, 2-8, 2-3,3-10, and 3-9.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularexample embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As usedherein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” may be intended toinclude the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicatesotherwise. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “including,” and“having,” are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of statedfeatures, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, butdo not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features,integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groupsthereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described hereinare not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance inthe particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specificallyidentified as an order of performance. It is also to be understood thatadditional or alternative steps may be employed.

When an element or layer is referred to as being “on,” “engaged to,”“connected to,” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it may bedirectly on, engaged, connected or coupled to the other element orlayer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast,when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly engagedto,” “directly connected to,” or “directly coupled to” another elementor layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers present. Otherwords used to describe the relationship between elements should beinterpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directlybetween,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). As used herein,the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more ofthe associated listed items.

The term “about” when applied to values indicates that the calculationor the measurement allows some slight imprecision in the value (withsome approach to exactness in the value; approximately or reasonablyclose to the value; nearly). If, for some reason, the imprecisionprovided by “about” is not otherwise understood in the art with thisordinary meaning, then “about” as used herein indicates at leastvariations that may arise from ordinary methods of measuring or usingsuch parameters. For example, the terms “generally,” “about,” and“substantially,” may be used herein to mean within manufacturingtolerances. Or, for example, the term “about” as used herein whenmodifying a quantity of an ingredient or reactant of the invention oremployed refers to variation in the numerical quantity that can happenthrough typical measuring and handling procedures used, for example,when making concentrates or solutions in the real world throughinadvertent error in these procedures; through differences in themanufacture, source, or purity of the ingredients employed to make thecompositions or carry out the methods; and the like. The term “about”also encompasses amounts that differ due to different equilibriumconditions for a composition resulting from a particular initialmixture. Whether or not modified by the term “about,” the claims includeequivalents to the quantities.

Although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein todescribe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections,these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should notbe limited by these terms. These terms may be only used to distinguishone element, component, region, layer or section from another region,layer or section. Terms such as “first,” “second,” and other numericalterms when used herein do not imply a sequence or order unless clearlyindicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region,layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element,component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachingsof the example embodiments.

Spatially relative terms, such as “inner,” “outer,” “beneath,” “below,”“lower,” “above,” “upper” and the like, may be used herein for ease ofdescription to describe one element or feature's relationship to anotherelement(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. Spatiallyrelative terms may be intended to encompass different orientations ofthe device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depictedin the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turnedover, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements orfeatures would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features.Thus, the example term “below” can encompass both an orientation ofabove and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptorsused herein interpreted accordingly.

The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided forpurposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to beexhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements, intended orstated uses, or features of a particular embodiment are generally notlimited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, areinterchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if notspecifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in manyways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from thedisclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be includedwithin the scope of the disclosure.

1. An eating utensil comprising: a handle for supporting a utensilpiece, the handle having a distal stem portion and a widened portionproximal to and substantially coaxial with the distal stem portion, thewidened portion having an opening configured to receive one or more userfingers to support the handle and utensil piece without the received oneor more fingers having to contact the distal stem portion during use ofthe eating utensil.
 2. The eating utensil of claim 1, further comprisingthe utensil piece.
 3. The eating utensil of claim 2, wherein the utensilpiece comprises one or more of the following: a fork, a spoon, a spork,and a knife.
 4. The eating utensil of claim 1, wherein the opening isdefined by a sidewall of the widened portion, the sidewall having one ormore flat surfaces.
 5. The eating utensil of claim 1, wherein the handleand the utensil piece are reversibly connected or connectible at adistal end of the distal stem portion of the handle.
 6. The eatingutensil of claim 1, wherein a sidewall of the widened portion defines ashape of the opening, the shape comprising one or more of the following:a curve, a straight line, a polygon, a hexagon, an oval, a circle, arectangle, and a square.
 7. The eating utensil of claim 1, wherein thedistal stem portion of the handle is connected or connectible with autensil piece such that the utensil piece is tilted relative to thewidened portion of the handle.
 8. The eating utensil of claim 7, whereinthe utensil piece is oriented at a 45-degree angle relative to thewidened portion of the handle.
 9. The eating utensil of claim 1, whereinthe handle is connectable with a plurality of different utensil pieces.10. The eating utensil of claim 1, the handle further comprising aproximal stem portion adjacent the widened portion and configured tosupport a user finger not received in the opening of the widenedportion.
 11. A utensil comprising: a utensil piece; and a handle havinga distal stem portion connected or connectible with the utensil piece,and a widened portion substantially coaxial with the distal stemportion, the widened portion having an interior sidewall defining anopening in the handle configured to receive one or more user fingers tocontrol the utensil piece without the received one or more fingers beingrequired to contact the distal stem portion.
 12. The utensil of claim11, wherein the utensil piece comprises one or more of the following: afork, a spoon, a knife, and a spork.
 13. The utensil of claim 11,wherein the sidewall comprises one or more flat surfaces forming one ormore interior angles of the sidewall.
 14. The utensil of claim 11,wherein the handle further comprises a proximal stem portion proximal tothe widened portion.
 15. The utensil of claim 14, wherein the proximalstem portion is substantially coaxial with the distal stem portion. 16.The utensil of claim 11, wherein the sidewall defines a shape of theopening, the shape comprising one or more of the following: a curve, astraight line, a polygon, a hexagon, an oval, a circle, a rectangle, anda square.
 17. The utensil of claim 11, wherein the utensil piece isconnected or connectible with an end of the distal stem portion so as toorient the utensil piece at a predetermined angle of rotation relativeto a substantially common axis of the distal stem portion and thewidened portion.
 18. The utensil of claim 17, wherein the predeterminedangle of rotation is plus or minus 45 degrees relative to the commonaxis.
 19. A method of using a utensil, the method comprising: insertingone or more fingers through an opening defined by a sidewall in awidened portion of a handle of the utensil, the widened portion beingsubstantially coaxial with a distal stem portion of the handle, theinserting performed without having to bend the one or more fingers;positioning the inserted one or more fingers against the sidewall; andcontrolling a utensil piece of the utensil without the inserted one ormore fingers having to touch the distal stem portion of the handle. 20.The method of claim 19, further comprising connecting the handle withthe utensil piece before the inserting is performed, and/or wherein theutensil piece comprises one or more of the following: a fork, a spoon, aknife, and a spork.